The Albert Museum of Jaipur is the state museum of Rajasthan located inside the Ram Niwas Garden that you can navigate by road. It is one of the six museums in India that exhibits a mummy and showcases a vast range of art and historic artefacts across region and cultures. The museum was named after Prince of Wales, Albert Edward (who later became King Edward VII), after his visit to the Pink City in 1876.
The opulent Albert Hall Museum, situated in the heart of Ram Niwas Garden, was inspired by the renowned Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The illustrious building was envisioned and designed by Sir Swinton Jacob, the brilliant mind behind several other palaces in Rajasthan.
The foundation stone of the museum was laid by the Prince of Wales in 1876. The museum boasts an extensive collection of exquisite metal objects, wood crafts, carpets, stone and metal sculptures, arms and weapons, natural stones, and ivory goods.
The impressive museum also houses a vast assortment of miniatures from various art schools, including Bundi, Kota, Kishangarh, Udaipur, and Jaipur. A unique blend of Indo-Saracenic architectural styles adds to the museum’s charm, making it a must-visit destination for art enthusiasts.
Why visit the Albert Museum in Jaipur?
Rajasthan is a timeless state that boasts of rich historical heritage amply reflected through the presentation of artefacts in the Albert Hall Museum. It exhibits a rich collection of valuable paintings, metal sculptures, royal jewelry, crystal artefacts, carpets, stone and ivory sculptures.
The numismatic collection of the Albert Hall Museum has coins from almost all essential ages in Indian history. You will find coins dating to Mughal, British, Gupta, Kushan and Delhi Sultanate periods.
There is a beautiful Buddhist mural in the gallery. You can also find a Brahma statue that is striking and unmissable. A Jain Tirthankara, fine porcelain antiques and a Lakshmi Narayan statue are some of the more prominent features of the Jaipur Museum.
The courtyard of the Jaipur Museum is lovely and spacious. A shoal of pigeons are always around eating corn fed by people passing by. The night view of the Jaipur Museum is breathtaking as the lighting system is innovative and brightens up the roads surrounding it.
Albert Hall Museum collection
Here’s an overview of all the interesting things I found in Albert Hal Museum explaining why this place is a must-visit when in Jaipur:
Coffee Pot and flower vase collection
The first thing you’d come across is the museum’s coffee pot and flower vase collection. The Jaipur glass coffee pot pictures you see here date back to the 19th century. They are engraved in floral patterns.
Salver collection
The large salver collection made of Jaipur brass has stories to tell. One big salver exhibits the Sun on his celestial chariot right in the middle with16 Tithis depicted around it.
It reflects the Hindu lunar month, including Purnima (full moon) and Amavasya (no moon) in the inner circle. There are 32 Lords of all the 16 Tithis. The nights depicted in the outer circle exhibit ‘Muhurat Chintamani’ suggest the auspicious and inauspicious times of the month.
Hukka
North western provinces and their association with hookah goes centuries back. One such specimen from Punjab is a prime collectable at the Albert Hall Museum dating back to 20th century. It is a gold-plated body with a pipe representing the jeweled hand of a lady.
Mahabharat and Ramayana Shield
The shields at Albert Hall Museum are two of the most epic collections that have been protected. Based on the Razmnama, these engravings show several important events written by Sage Ved Vyas.
Both the shields look alike but have different engraving. One shield highlights the Chandravanshi dynasty that reigned during the Mahabharata and the other highlights the Raghuvanshi dynasty that reigned during Ramayana.
Buddha-Nepal
A beautiful Buddha murti sitting in Sparsha mudra while heavenly beings bless Him during enlightenment is a treat to the eyes.
Type of pottery
From Doulton & Minton Ware to Turkish Red Pottery, Japanese pottery, to Persian, Turkish, and Hungarian, a huge section is dedicated to this category. But among all these, what stood out to me the most was the Peshawari pottery.
Weaponry
As you step into Rajasthan, you will find traces of ancient weaponry everywhere. These are collectables that reflect the valor of the yesteryears. From swords and shields to bow and arrows, you can find many ancient forms of weaponry here. Protective gear for arms, headgear, and guns, are also a part of this collection.
Pagari
An interesting find amidst all the weaponry is a section dedicated to all male pagaris. Before seeing this collection, I did not know that these head gears were a way to differentiate people according to caste and religion. Rural Rajasthani people continue to wear these even now. The royals too adorn these during festivities.
Note that these are different from pagaris worn by people of the Sikh community for religious reasons.
Mummy in Museum
The Mummy in museum is one of the main attractions that Albert Museum Jaipur has. Many people are fascinated by the thought of mummies.
Adults and children have grown up with many movies and cartoons featuring dead bodies wrapped in bandages.
While many people associate mummies with Egypt, there are other places where you can find them. India has six Egyptian mummies in private and public collections.
One of them is featured in the Albert Hall Museum. The mummy in museum is placed in a sarcophagus. The mummified body lay inside and there is an X-ray that shows that the body has not yet decomposed.
An Albert Hall museum case study was performed on this mummy almost a decade ago. But the details remained undisclosed to the public. The X-ray reveals that the bones of the mummy are still intact.
Albert Hall museum ticket price
Albert Hall ticket price is INR 50 for nationals and INR 20 for students when presented with student ID. For Foreign students the price is INR 150 and for foreign nationals the ticket price is INR 300.
What’s interesting is that you get a composite ticket option to explore other places to see in Jaipur. You not only pay a smaller amount but also skip lines.
A composite ticket purchased at Albert Museum Jaipur costs you Rs. 420 and includes entry to Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Amber Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Sisodia Rani Garden, Albert Hall Museum, and Vidyadhar Bagh. The composite ticket is valid for two days including the day of purchase.
Albert Hall museum timings
Albert Hall museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm every day.
The museum closes for visitors already inside by 5:30 pm and does not allow new visitors post 5 pm.
Final Thoughts
Along with being an iconic museum of Rajasthan, Albert Hall Museum serves as one of the best places to have a photoshoot session for couples soon to marry. The space in front is a free to use location filled with photographers and videographers capturing the beauty of this Indo-Saracenic specimen as pigeons fly by making this place look quite a spectacle.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is Albert Hall Museum famous?
Albert Hall Museum is the oldest museum of Rajasthan and an exemplary specimen of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It is renowned for its diverse collection, featuring an Egyptian mummy, 19th-century metal arts, miniature paintings, royal armor, and spectacular night view.
2. What is the ticket price for Albert Hall Museum for students?
Albert Hall Museum ticket price is INR 20 for Indian students and INR 150 for foreign students.
3. Who is the mummy in Albert Hall Jaipur?
The mummy in Albert Hall Museum was an Egyptian woman named Tutu. She was a member of a family of priests that date back to Ptolemaic period, roughly between 300 B.C. and 30 B.C
4. How much time is required for Albert Hall Museum?
It will take you at least 1 to 2 hours to explore Albert Hall Museum in-depth.
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